1. Field of Art
The present invention relates to an inkjet printer including a print head for propelling ink droplets to make a print, addressing techniques for adaptation to reduce a time for transition of ink state to an optimal temperature state, such as those from a low temperature state upon a power-on or in a return from energy saving mode.
2. Description of Relevant Art
There has been spread use of inkjet printers including print heads for propelling ink droplets to make a print on a print sheet. In inkjet printers, print heads have had their ink propelling mechanisms configured with arrays of piezoelectric devices or such for propelling ink droplets in accordance with applied drive voltages. For use in inkjet printers, there have been various kinds of ink available with a typical property tending to have increased viscosities under low-temperature environments, constituting a difficulty to secure adequate droplet amounts. To this point, there has been a patent literature 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2008-23806) disclosing an inkjet printer adapted for warm-up of ink in a low temperature state, with a pause of print until an arrival at an adequate ink temperature.
Further, there has been a patent literature 2 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2008-37020) disclosing an inkjet printer including an ink temperature adjusting mechanism configured for a temperature control of ink circulating along an ink circulation route, to suppress consumption of power for ink warm-up, and adapted for a prompt arrival at a prescribed ink temperature to be held, to reduce a waiting time before a recording process.
In addition, there has been a patent literature 3 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 9-299) disclosing an inkjet printing method adapted for a constant delivery to be stable even in use of ink with a tendency to exhibit a significant increase in viscosity due to evaporation of volatile ingredients of ink, affording to suppress waste consumption of ink.